Note 1609 — Chapter XXVIII · (continued 2)

To George Spenlein, the Memmingen Augustinian, April 8, 1516, “Briefwechsel,” 1, p. 29: against the “tentatio præsumptionis in multis et iis præcipue qui iusti et boni esse omnibus viribus student; ignorantes iustitiam Dei, quæ in Christo est nobis effusissime et gratis donata, quærunt in se ipsis tamdiu operari bene, donec habeant fiduciam standi coram Deo, veluti virtutibus et meritis ornati; quod est impossibile fieri.” Cp. Weim. ed., 1, p. 347; “Opp. lat. var.,” 1, p. 236, where he speaks against the “affectus propriæ iustitiæ” and declares that the sense of good works performed led men to fall. P. 347=237: the wish to have remained always pure was simply foolish, etc.